Eupatorium plant named ‘Baby Joe’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Eupatorium  plant named ‘Baby Joe’, characterized by its upright and relatively compact plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; large greyed purple-colored inflorescences; and strong and upright peduncles.

Botanical designation: Eupatorium purpureum.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Baby Joe’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofEupatorium plant, botanically known as Eupatorium purpureum, andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Baby Joe’.

The new Eupatorium is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to create new strong and compact Veronica cultivarswith healthy foliage and attractive flower coloration.

The new Eupatorium originated from a cross-pollination of two unnamedselections of Eupatorium purpureum, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with an unknown selection of Eupatorium purpureum, as themale, or pollen, parent. The new Eupatorium was discovered and selectedby the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny ofthe stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands in September, 2003.

Asexual reproduction of the new Eupatorium by cuttings in a controlledgreenhouse environment in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands since June,2004, has shown that the unique features of this new Eupatorium arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Eupatorium have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Baby Joe’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Baby Joe’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofEupatorium:

-   -   1. Upright and relatively compact plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large greyed purple-colored inflorescences.    -   5. Strong and upright peduncles.

Compared to plants of the female parent selection, plants of the newEupatorium are more compact. Compared to plants of the male parentselection, plants of the new Eupatorium are more freely flowering.

Plants of the new Eupatorium can be compared to plants of Eupatoriummaculatum ‘Atropurpureum’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Rijpwetering, The Netherlands, plants of the new Eupatoriumdiffered from plants of ‘Atropurpureum’ primarily in growth habit asplants of the new Eupatorium were more compact than plants of‘Atropurpureum’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Eupatorium. The photographs show the colors as true as it isreasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type.Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color valuescited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describethe colors of the new Eupatorium.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Baby Joe’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the second sheet is a close-up view oftypical inflorescences of ‘Baby Joe’.

The photograph at the bottom of the second sheet is a close-up view of atypical leaf of ‘Baby Joe’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Rijpwetering, The Netherlandsduring the summer in an outdoor nursery and under conditions andpractices which approximate those generally used in commercialEupatorium production. During the production of the plants, daytemperatures ranged from 14° C. to 32° C. and night temperatures rangedfrom 4° C. to 15° C. Plants were six months from planting when thephotographs and description were taken. In the following description,color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society ColourChart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Eupatorium purpureum cultivar Baby Joe.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Unnamed selection of Eupatorium purpureum,            not patented.        -   Male parent.—Unknown selection of Eupatorium purpureum, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one month at 17° C. to 27° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About six months at            15° C. to 28° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; color, close            to 161D.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial. Relatively            compact and upright plant habit; narrow inverted triangle;            inflorescences held on strong and upright peduncles.            Moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 44.7 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 16.9 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 32.5 cm. Diameter: About            5 mm. Internode length: About 3.5 cm. Aspect: Mostly            upright. Strength: Strong. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color:            Close to N186C.-   Foliage description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 8.7 cm.        -   Width.—About 3.6 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute to narrowly acuminate.        -   Base.—Attenuate.        -   Margin.—Serrate.        -   Texture, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous.        -   Texture, lower surface.—Pubescent.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Color.—Developing foliage, upper surface: Close to 141A.            Developing foliage, lower surface: Close to 137C. Fully            expanded foliage, upper surface: Close to 137B; venation,            close to N186C. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: Close            to 146B; venation, close to 187A to 187B.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm by 3 mm.            Color, upper surface: Close to N186C. Color, lower surface:            Close to 187A.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Discoid inflorescences arranged in compound            corymbs. Inflorescences face mostly upright. Freely            flowering habit; about 400 inflorescences develop per plant.        -   Fragrance.—Faint; sweet.        -   Time to flower.—Plants flower continuously during August and            September in The Netherlands.        -   Post-production longevity.—Inflorescences maintain good            substance for about three weeks on the plant. Inflorescences            persistent.        -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About            2.5 cm. Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to 186C; towards the            base, close to 186B.        -   Corymb diameter.—About 12.9 cm.        -   Corymb height.—About 7.8 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Receptacle diameter.—About 9 mm.        -   Receptacle height.—About 3 cm.        -   Ray florets.—Ray floret development has not observed.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Fused in a tube. Apex: Acute. Length:            About 1.4 cm. Diameter, apex: About 1.5 mm. Diameter, base:            About 0.5 mm. Number of disc florets per inflorescence:            About 15. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color, immature: Close            to 186B. Color, mature: Mid-section and towards the apex,            close to 186C; base, close to 182C to 182D.        -   Phyllaries.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 15 in about            five whorls. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 1.5 mm. Shape:            Narrowly elliptic to narrowly ovate. Apex: Acute. Base:            Cuneate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper surface: Close to 186A to            186B. Color, lower surface: Close to 186D to lighter than            186D.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 7.1 cm to 15.2 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm. Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to 15° from            vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to N186C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Quantity per floret: About            five. Anther shape: Lanceolate. Anther length: About 1.5 mm.            Anther color: Close to 187A. Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen            color: Close to 13A. Gynoecium: Quantity per floret: One.            Pistil length: About 1.2 cm. Stigma color: Close to 75B to            75C. Style length: About 7 mm. Style color: Close to 69D.            Ovary color: Close to 145A. Seeds/fruits: Seed and fruit            development have not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Eupatorium have not been    shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Eupatorium.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Eupatorium have exhibited good    tolerance to rain and wind and have been observed to be suitable for    USDA Zone 6.

1. A new and distinct Eupatorium plant named ‘Baby Joe’ as illustratedand described.